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FAQs - When exporting or reexporting to a non-U.S. Embassy located outside the United States, which country is used in the determination of the licensing requirements?

Like shipments to U.S. embassies overseas, shipments to non-U.S. Embassies outside the United States are exports or reexports to the host country. For example, an export from the United States to the French Embassy in Germany is an export to Germany. License requirements are those that are applicable to the host country. There may also be relevant license exception availability (see below).

Note, however, that BIS does not treat the shipment of items via official diplomatic pouch to an embassy or consulate in a third country (host country) as a transaction covered by the destination-based licensing requirements set forth in the EAR. So long as the items remain within the ownership and control of the embassy or consulate in the host country, no license is required under the EAR. The items may also be returned to the home country via diplomatic pouch or shipped to other foreign embassies and consulates via diplomatic pouch without authorization from BIS. However, if the embassy or consulate resells or disposes of the items locally in the host country, licensing requirements set forth in the EAR for exports to the host country would be implicated. Similarly, reselling or disposing the items to end users outside of the host country would implicate reexport licensing requirements set forth in the EAR, to the extent the items are not shipped via diplomatic pouch.